Aurora: Tali & Shepard
by Laytz94
Summary: Tali reports to Shepard's quarters before they dive head-first into certain death. Can she overcome her irrational fears to spend what could be her last night with the man she loves? Rated M for serious sexual content later on.
1. I Don't Want Anyone Else

Ok, let me start off by saying that, although this is not my first fanfic, it is the first that I have published. So... yay for me I guess.

Secondly, I must say that, yes I do realize that there are a ton of other TaliXShepard pairings out there. I have no defense to this unfortunately. All I can say is that... I love Tali. Yea, she's pretty awesome. Therefore, I still desire to throw my virtually useless version of the story into the large pile of pre-existing ones. I like to contribute.

Thirdly, I'm warning you right now. I did what I didn't want to do from the start. I took liberties with the story and and characters that I didn't mean to. Sorry. It's not going to change.

I guess that's it for now. Please enjoy my interpretation of the epic romance between the (in my opinion) best Mass Effect pairing possible.

Feel free to leave CONSTRUCTIVE criticism and reviews.

* * *

_Oh, Keelah. I can't believe this is actually happening..._

Tali stood nervously in the Normandy's elevator, wringing her hands in that nervous way. Her anxiety was getting the better of her, causing her to slip back into that habit.

_Perhaps it's just a side effect of the antibiotics or supplements or something... _she thought.

_Calm down, girl! Calm down!_ she though to herself. _And whatever you do, do NOT start talking his ear off with your damn nervous chatter!_

But no amount of internal preparation could put her at ease right now. Not only would this be her first intimate experience of her life, it would be the first intimate experience with the man that she had desired for so long. Tali thought back to one of her previous discussions with Shepard...

"...I don't want anyone else. I want you. I- I love you, Tali. I always have. I just never realized it..."

His deep, meaningful words had brought her unimaginable joy. Even now, as she stood there in the small elevator, the echo of his words made her heart flutter.

_Oh, I'm being stupid. He doesn't even know I'm coming up to see him. What if he's busy? He may not even want to do anything. Keelah, what was I thinking?_

The elevator halted and the door swiftly opened, allowing Tali to exit into a cramped hallway space. Only a few feet away, across the hall, was the door to Shepard's cabin. Tali hesitantly shuffled over to the door, fidgeting all the way. A stolid, mental barrier stopped Tali in her tracks. Under the dark exo-suit, Tali's heart was racing wildly. After several moments, she decided against knocking and approached the door. It silently unlocked and swished open, revealing the inside of Shepard's room; glowing blue fish tanks on the left wall and the end of a glass display case, framing several model ships, peaked out from the end of the hallway entrance. Tali heard a slight movement further back in the room. She guessed Shepard was at his desk, back near the bed. Continuing her nervous fidgeting, she slowly walked through the entryway, further into the cabin.

After was felt to her like an hour, Tali spotted Shepard standing in front of his desk, attention focused on the datapad in his hand, and seemingly unaware of Tali's presence.

_There he is! Oh no, I knew it! He must be busy. I should... No! I didn't come up here for nothing..._

Summoning every bit of her courage and, with a deep breath, she awkwardly cleared her throat and began speaking.

"So..." Shepard whirled around, datapad still in hand, and saw Tali, nervously standing a few feet away, wriggling her hands.

"So, I've taken some antibiotics, as well as some... herbal supplements that should, um, bolster my immune system."

Shepard gazed wistfully into the foggy eyes behind her purple faceplate and embraced her. Tali wrapped her arms around his neck and shoulders. They stood there for several minutes in eachother's arms. Eventually, they separated and Tali looked back down at the ground.

"I... I would've brought music," she said anxiously, simultaneously taking the datapad from his hands and setting it on the desk. "but I didn't know what kind you would like..."

She brought her eyes back up to Shepard's.

"And I'm... I'm babbling like an idiot again, aren't I?"

Shepard took her hands in his, intertwining his five fingers with her three.

"Of course not. And relax, I want this," said Shepard soothingly. "...I want you."

Tali looked at her hands, wrapped in his, trying to calm herself.

"In case you hadn't noticed, Miss Zorah... I'm madly in love with you. So take a deep breath... it's okay."

Tali eased her breathing, wrapped her arms around Shepard's midsection and rested the side of her head on his chest. She could feel the emotions rising inside her.

_Don't you even think about bawling on him again!_

"I just... I thought it through." she said, breaking into rapid speech. "I've minimized the risks, but I'm still nervous and that, well, always makes me talk a lot. It's a defense mechanism and it's stupid, I know, but..."

"Tali, it's alright." Shepard interrupted. "I understand. I'm as concerned for you as you are. Believe me, I was having second thoughts about this relationship too. If anything were to happen to you, I..." For the first time, Shepard broke off. The thought of any harm coming to Tali was genuinely terrifying. After a few seconds in thought, he continued.

"And besides... believe it or not, I did my part already. EDI virtually sterilized the air in here, and is continuing to do so, and I managed to do the same for most of the rest of the cabin. I also scrubbed myself down completely. My mouth is probably cleaner than it's ever been."

Tali looked up in surprise. "You did? But how... how did you know...?"

"Tali, this is our final flight before we go take the fight to the Collectors. We're on out way to the Omega 4 Relay right now. Something told me you'd come up to see me. And if you hadn't, I'd have come down to get you myself."

This mention of the perilous battle ahead unearthed Tali's buried fears. "Oh, Keelah. Shepard, what if we don't come back? I just... I just don't know. I don't want this to be our last chance to be together, ever."

Shepard stroked her shoulder comfortingly and replied with confidence. "Don't worry. It won't be. Not if I can help it. And if this, what we have here, is my motivation, then the Collectors damn well better watch out."

Tali smiled under her helmet and continued to stand in Shepard's arms. She found it odd how Shepard could cause her to feel so nervous, and yet made her feel so calm. From insider her suit, she listened to his heart, which beat with an impressive strength that could only be attributed to a body so stubbornly enduring that not even death could subdue it.

After a certain amount of time, EDI's blue, holographic form appeared on the nearby electronic pedestal and her computerized voice filtered through the room.

"Shepard, it was not my intention to interrupt. However, Professor Solus has uploaded several informational and demonstrational videos to my database and instructed me to relay them to you if needed. I have concluded that it would be wise to request your permission first, despite the Professor's instructions."

Shepard glanced at Tali, who was glaring at EDI and inclined her head, as if slightly put-out.

"Umm..." he said hesitantly.

"It is acceptable to say 'No,' Shepard." replied EDI. "And I would take no guilt in archiving or deleting said videos."

"Please do so." retorted Tali quickly.

"Thank you, EDI." said Shepard.

"Believe me, Shepard. It is my pleasure to be rid of them." EDI's blue form flickered off and vanished from the terminal in an instant. Shepard and Tali looked at eachother. "Your AI isn't so bad." admitted Tali, somewhat grudgingly.

"Well, she did help me and the others get out of that Collector ship in time." Shepard reminded her gently.

"That's true." admitted Tali. "I suppose I owe her. And I'm already quite grateful."

Shepard proceeded to pull her closer, slipping his arms around her slender waist, and said quietly near her head, "So, do I really need some demonstrational vid to know where your 'erogenous zones' are?"

With a slight, seductive chuckle, she leaned toward his ear and said playfully, "Hmmm... what do you think?"

"What do I think? Well, I think I can certainly figure it out." Shepard shifted to Tali's side and slowly eased her down and sat with her on the edge of the bed. He lovingly caressed her arms, shoulders, and back. Letting herself fall under his loving attentions, Tali subconsciously bowed her head in thought and again felt a twinge of anxious guilt. As Shepard pressed on, Tali gently placed her hand on his chest, as if to delay him momentarily.

"Just..." she started softly, "if... if something does happen... and I get sick, or hurt. Please promise me you won't blame yourself or let me distract you from the mission." Shepard paused, looking at her meaningfully and replied with sincerity.

"Well... I'll do my best. But if you fall in that base, you damn well better count on me getting you out." Tali feigned a sigh.

"I suppose I can settle for that." she said.

As Shepard advanced once again, he slowly put his hands back on Tali's waist and leaned her into his embrace. With one hand, she lovingly stroked his back, and with the other, she traced the outlines of his well-toned chest through his casual Cerberus vest. She was glad he had chosen this less formal uniform rather than the more official robes. This was white and black, with touched of gray and short sleeves that displayed his well-shaped biceps. It was the clothing that the majority of the crew wore around the ship, and it made the noble commander seem even more at-one with his crewmen.

As she stood there, cradled in Shepard's arms, she couldn't restrain a slight shudder, and before she knew it, had broken down into an uncontrollable fit of nervous jittering.

_Oh, DAMMIT, you stupid girl! Control yourself! What about Shepard? You've been holding him off for too long now, with your nervous chatter and anxious delays. He's probably given up on even trying with you now!_

"Tali, what's wrong?" inquired Shepard with gentle concern.

"I'm so sorry..." she apologized fiercely, feeling the tears welling up in her eyes.

_DAMMIT! DAMMIT!_

"I'm just still so nervous, and I know you're probably sick of it by now, and I know you can't tell from my face, so I didn't want to say anything. But it's so hard to... keep it all in, and..." as she rapidly explained herself, she seemed oblivious to Shepard, who was slowly reaching up to her mask.

"...and people, they can't see my face, can't see my expression..."

There was a slight hiss as Shepard's fingers began to release the latches on her faceplate.

"...so I have to make it clear what I'm-..."

The mask came off in Shepard's hands. He moved it away from her face slowly.

"...what I'm...

"Feeling."

* * *

Well, I hope you enjoyed Part 1. It took me many hours of not paying attention in class to get all this down.

I also hope that the minor alterations I made to the story/characters didn't bother anyone too much.

And for those of you who (I hope) are wondering, YES there will be more chapters. So subscribe and favorite so you don't miss out and any of the crap I still have to publish for this story.

**WARNING: THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE VERY, VERY GRAPHIC/SEXUAL. LIKE, REALLY, REALLY SEXUAL. GRAPHIC. MATURE. SEXXXUAL. GET THE IDEA HERE? LIKE, I REALLY SHOULD HAVE MOVED THIS OVER TO JUST BECAUSE OF HOW SEXUAL IT'S GOING TO GET. AM I HAMMERING THIS HOME HARD ENOUGH YET? So yeah, chapter 2 will involve ALOT of adult content that WILL offend some people. I guarantee it! It's not like, weird sex or anything, it's just... really descriptive. I'm warning you now. So don't come complaining!**

Once again, please rate and review with constructive, helpful criticism and comments. I THRIVE OFF OF YOUR ATTENTION! GARGSLAVOOOR!

...I am nothing if not honest.


	2. Sea of Blankets

Hey everyone. Thanks, first of all, for all the great reviews and encouraging comments. The apparent absence of trolls on this site has restored at least a little of my faith in the internet and I thank you for all your great criticism.

Well, here it is, Part 2. As promised, with as much sexual content as I could bear to put in it. And I know that some people out there disregarded my last warning so I'll say it again.

**WARNING: WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ WILL BE VERY SEXUAL! LOTS AND LOTS OF SEX AND ALL THAT STUFF! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. **

There. Hopefully that is the last time I'll have to say it. I'm probably making it sound worse than it really is, but it doesn't help to be safe, am I right?

One more thing. Considering this is a story about Tali unmasked, yes I developed my own image of what I think Tali looks like. Considering I cannot appeal to everyone, I had to make something of it. I hope nobody is too bothered by my description of her.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the longest and steamiest part of this story I have planned. Please feel free to R&R.

* * *

Shepard gazed upon Tali's unobstructed face with infinite tenderness. Her eyes, silm and glowing, opened and blinked several times, adjusting to the open air and sat on either side of an attractive, pointed nose. Her small, soft mouth was slightly open in surprise, hiding her rounded chin behind the mouth section of the helmet. The face staring back at him was pale, with a hint of red emanating from it, but her skin had a peculiar kind of sheen to it, as though it was partially metallic, even though there was clearly nothing more than flesh. Contrary to what he had expected, Shepard could see smooth, dark brown hair that was pulled back and tucked behind a pair of large, slim, almost elf-like ears, and fell down only just past the shoulders.

Tali's smooth, slim face reflected her emotional shyness, but was still very attractive. It was a very foreign attractiveness that Shepard could not imagine in any human... or even asari for that matter.

For a few lengthless moments, there was no sound. After taking in every observable feature, Shepard laid his eyes back on hers. A small, lustful breath escaped her open mouth, accompanied by a single word that, for the first time, sounded perfectly clear; without the sythesized quality of the voice filter.

"Keelah."

Then, without hesitation, Tali was up. She seamlessly pushed Shepard back and down onto the bed, punced ontop of him, and swiftly brought her lips to his.

Once again, there was one of those fathomless moments of both disbelief and ecstasy. Laying there, with Tali ontop of him, Shepard's eyes were wide open with surprise. His lips reacted to Tali's, kissing her back, but thoughtlessly, as his mind struggled to catch up. Finally regaining awareness, he closed his eyes and slipped his arms around Tali's waist and the small of her back. Struggling to match her intensity, he pushed against her lips with equal resistance. In response, Tali moaned and pushed further. She brought her hands up and put them on either side of Shepard's head, gently holding him in the deep kiss. Soon after, Shepard began taking deep breaths through his nose, refusing to part from Tali, even to breath. With a great deal of strength, he playfully, yet passionately rolled both of them over, resting Tali beneath him and taking his postition on top, continuing the kiss. Tali removed her hands from his face, placed them on both his back and chest, and let them travel freely, exploring every inch of his body that she could reach without breaking the continuous kiss. Shepard seemed to neither care nor mind. He simply continued to kiss her, meeting her fierce tongue with equal passionate ferocity; savoring every fresh, ethereal breath she took.

At some point however, they found that they could not continue, and had to part for air and rest. Shepard eased back and sat on the bed, knees up, desperately gasping for air. Tali sat up on her knees with a shy, sheepish grin, also breathing heavily, but not nearly as physically taxed as he was. shepard glanced up at her, still panting, then chuckled lightly, causing Tali's small grin to vanish in slight anxiety. "Wh- What is it? Did I do something wrong?" Shepard looked up, alarmed.

"No, no, no, no, no!" he struggeled to say between breaths. "It's just-... that I-... thought-... you might be-... a bit more-... worn out-... than that..." Tali relaxed, understanding, and shrugged off her concern.

"Hm! What's the matter?" she teased playfully. "Age catching up with you?"

Shepard brought his arms up and motioned toward himself. "You-... want-... s'more-... of this...?" he challenged through breaths.

"Most definitely," replied Tali longingly. "But only if you promise not to pass out or have a heart attack or something like that. I don't want to have to call Chakwas or Mordin up here unil my mask is back on."

"I'm not afraid to reprimand you, Miss Zorah," he teased with feigned offense and a grin.

"Oh? Is that a threat..." she brought her now-visible face close to his and coked her head to the side, "or a proposition?" Her voice practically dripped with seduction.

Now Shepard was aroused. He felt a familiar longing in his heart and stared at Tali with a loving hunger.

_Bullseye!_ Tali thought to herself. She eased herself up on her hands and knees and crawled across the bed, stopping behind Shepard's back. Putting her arms under his, placing her hands on his chest, she rested her chin on his left shoulder and chuckled softly into his ear. Without turning his body, Shepard brought up his hand and placed it on the side of Tali's face, using it to gently pull her toward his face as he turned and met her lips yet again. This kiss was different from the first. Soft and calm, yet still full of passion.

As he kissed her, Shepard was dwelling on Tali's sudden change of character. A mere few minutes ago, she had been crying in his arms, gripped by anxiety. But now... well, now she was definitely different... and he liked it. It was as if all of her fears and concerns had been trapped with the stale, steril air behind the mask. Shepard wondered what it would be like. Stuck behind a purple, foggy barrier, unable to make a physical connection with others or show anyone your true form; the consequence being death. Shepard was now finding it difficult to continue this thought, as he realized Tali was now helping him out of his shirt. Still at his back, Tali ran her three fingers down to the hem of his Cerberus vest, gripped it, and pulled it up and over his head. Casually, she tossed it over the side of the bed and onto the floor. Shepard turned to face her, pausing for a moment to let her take in his impressive, muscled chest. Tali reached out and ran a gloved hand over the faint scar remnants from his "resurrection." Shepard felt the strange suit material brush his skin lightly, then pull away rather quickly. Looking almost annoyed, Tali observed her hands for a moment, then pressed down firmly on two specific spots near her wrist. There was a slight click as her suit seals clapmed down just above her hand. A moment later, she pulled her right glove off with a smooth twist, revealing a small, three-fingered palm covered in the same pale, reddish skin. The fingers were somewhat larger than a human's, and there didn't appear to be any fingernails. Within a few seconds, Tali had pulled both gloves and was holding her bare hands above Shepard's skin. She found one of his deeper scars and gently traced the length of it with her forefinger. Her skin was silky smooth and carried an almost ethereal quality across his chest. Shepard watched as Tali's bright, glowing eyes examined him with fascination.

However, as Tali took in his form, Shepard took in hers. He let his eyes wander over the young body in front of him and gazed. Perhaps he was just aroused, or maybe it was because he was actually taking notice now, but her suit seemed... tighter in places, complimenting certain features of her body. Her well-developed chest stuck out beneath him and, leaning slightly to the side, he could glimpse her curved backside. Then of course, there were those perfect hips of hers.

Apparently, in his slight lean, he had stirred Tali from her examination, and she glanced up at him and spoke. "Shepard?" she said casually.

"...hm? Oh, I was just thinking about what a crime it is that such an elegant body like yours is condemned to a suit, hidden from sight or admiration." he said fondly.

"Oh..." she replied in a flattered voice, blushing for a moment, "Well, you know, that's not strictly true. I can show someone if I choose to. In fact... why don't I, erm... demonstrate."

She pulled away from Shepard, leaving him bristeling with anticipation. Even she was feeling anxious to progress. Reaching around to her mid-back, she felt for the calsps on the back of her suit. There was another series of clicks as more suit seals closed around her lower neck and upper waist, leaving the portion of the suit that covered her entire torso and stomach isolated. As she continued to undo the clasps, the cloth that wove itself around and down her suit to her legs suddenly came loose and unwound. A few seconds later, Tali removed the isolated portion of her suit, and her heart was pounding in her chest as she rested the segmented object on the floor beside the bed. She slowly sat up, and the now-free cloth draped itself around her exposed upper-body, lending even more elegance to her appearance.

Sheoard gazed at Tali's smooth, shapen stomach, then allowed his eyes to slowly travel up to her generous breasts that remained only partially obstructed by the loose cloth. He noted how human-like her form seemed... aside from the red haze that glowed from her skin.

"Shepard, you know it's rude to stare." teased Tali nervously. Shepard tore his eyes from her half-naked body and saw her shy, blushed smile. He felt himself go slightly red in the face as well.

"I- I really like your, erm... shawl." he stammered. Tali made an amused smirk and softly laughed aloud. "So, how much more can you show me?" inquired Shepard suggestively.

"Well, that depends on how much you want me to take off." Tali replied shyly.

"Everything," said Shepard with a pause, "except your shawl."

Tali inclined her head slightly and gave a coy smile. "Is that so? Well, I guess I can do that. But please, no pictures. I don't want to see myself on the extranet tomorrow." she said with a giggle.

It was only several seconds later that Tali had her arms free and was moving on to the remaining lower half of her suit. Shepard could see this was trickier, as she first had to remove her boots, then the segmented portions of her legs, followed by the final waist section, which she had to slip out of awkwardly. The end result, however, was worth it all. Tali's soft, curved, feminine body lay before him, draped in her elegent cloth and practically glowing pale red in the dim light of the cabin. He was unsurprised to see how pale she was, considering she had spent nearly all of her life out of any direct light. But that wasn't what he paid attention to. He was more foccused on her curves; her wide hips; her beautifully bowed legs; her large, three-toed feet; and her attractive, blushing face. She lay on her side, displaying herself at the head of the bed. Despite her outwardly calm demeanor, her heart was still pounding intensely. This was it; she felt more exposed than she ever had and although her body was cold, she could not feel it. When she felt her spine shiver, she assumed it was her body succoming to allergic illness.

_Damn my immune system! I don't care if I get sick anymore. As long as I can share myself with Shepard._

"Shepard?" she said quietly, rousing him from his trance. He jerked his head up and foccused again on her attractive face. "Would you... care to join me?" Tali could see the anticipation appear in his bright green eyes. Shepard again glanced down at her magnificent form, then sat up in the bed and began working on the lower half of his uniform. He uneasily fidgeted with his pants, but eventually undid the zipper and buttons. Tali watched through lidded eyes as he quickly slipped out of his Cerberus fatigues and let them slip over the side of the bed, leaving himself in a slim pair of small shorts. He was clearly physically aroused and Tali blushed as she glanced at his clearly tented shorts. Her heart began to race as Shepard moved to remove the last of his garments. His impressive, erect manhood came into view and Tali felt herself blush furiously. Now it was her turn to examine. She looked him over thoroughly, taking in the sight of his well-toned figure, coming back now and then to pause on his crotch. The longer she looked, the more she felt the growing heat and longing between her legs. Tali was still a virgin, (Quarian virginity obviously differed from that of humans, as theirs typicaly lasted alot longer due to the restricting nature of their suits), but she was no stranger to the longing demand of her sex. She squirmed anxiously on the bed and Shepard could clearly register her arousal. He was growing impaient himself. He slowly inched his way across the bed toward Tali, who looked more than ready to welcome him. She sat up on her knees and pulled Shepard into a close embrace. The sensation of their skin making contact was extraordinary for both. With one hand, Tali began to slowly stroke Shepard's erect organ, and with the other she guided his own hand to her chest and rested it on her breasts. The feeling of Tali's gentle touch on his engorged manhood caused Shepard to shiver and freeze up for a moment, only to then be invited to explore her ample bosom. He softly explored her breasts and pressed against her hardened pads with his thumb. Tali cooed in response and her arousal grew. Keeping one hand on Shepard's groin, she moved the other down between her legs and began to gently prod her hot opening. Her face grew hot and she started panting. Shepard placed gentle kisses on her chest and neck and used a free hand to assist Tali in her intimate explorations. Tali's stomach flipped and she began to feel butterflies at Shepard's touch. The foreign feeling of his five fingers grazed her inner thighs. She drew a sharp breath as he arrived at her inner-most regions. It was a glorious sensation, and Shepard began to slowly explore Tali's alien mound, sending shivers of pleasure up and down her body. She began to pant and give out slight moans.

As her arousal reached its peak, she began to lose her patience. She reluctantly held Shepard's hand back, pausing his attentions. After taking a moment to gaze into his green, curious eyes, Tali placed her hands on his waist and turned her back to the bed. Slowly, she lowered herself down onto the soft mattress on her back, simultaneously bringing Shepard down to rest on top of her. Tali adjusted herself, finding a comfortable position as Shepard straddled her waist. Once they felt comfortable, there was a still, quiet moment while they gazed upon eachother. While Shepard's face looked caring and tender, Tali's held an anxoius smile that was full of nervousness. Still in postion, Shepard bent forward, bringing his face to Tali's, and placed a long, gentle kiss on her lips. Keeping his face close to hers, he said to her quietly, "...are you ready?"

She took a deep breath and nodded eagerly. She could feel Shepard's thighs against hers and a moment later, felt him lowering his pelvis and slowly pushing into her. As he entered her, she began breathing in short, ragged breaths and let out a quiet, airy moan. She couldn't believe what was happening. She never thought that this would be possible, and yet there she was, experiencing her deepest fantasies as they came true.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt Shepard stop at her maidenhead. He pasued at the barrier deliberately, allowing Tali a moment to brace herself. She looked up at him and nodded again. Seconds later, he pushed further and broke through her veil, causing Tali to jerk in pain. Shepard was quick to react, immediately taking her into his arms, placing his hands on her back. He rubbed her soothingly, assuaging the pain. She gradually relaxed, her pain replaced by a satisfyingly full feeling. Moments later, she could feel Shepard pulling out, only to push back in again. He set a very slow rhythm, letting Tali take it in stride. However, he had to resist the urge to simply ram in. The feeling of her clenching around him was driving him out of his mind, but he knew that, more important than his potent urges, was Tali's comfort. Above all else, he wanted this to be pleasurable for her. She deserved the best and he was determined to make sure she got it.

As Shepard gradually increased his rhythm, Tali began to move in conjuction with him, reaching up and placing her hands on his falling and rising back. Her moans grew in volume and coincided with the repeating shivers of pleasure that came from each of Shepard's movements. Shepard gazed into the face of beauty beneath him. Her mouth was open, emitting hushed gasps and moans, and her eyes were lidded in pure bliss. Her smooth, dark hair lay around her head, partially tucked behind her shawl, and was ruffled and attractively messy. Shepard brought his arms up from her midsection and cupped her breasts, then leaned down once again to Tali's lips and locked her in a fiery, passionate kiss. While continuing his rhythmic movements, he explored Tali's mouth with his tongue. She managed to respond, massaging his tongue with hers. Shepard could feel her high-pitched moans and gasps reverberating through her mouth to his.

It was almost too much for Tali. With the thrusting betwee her legs, and Shepard's intensive explorations of both her breasts and mouth, she found it increasingly difficult to keep control over her body. She had been trying to stifle her vocal responses to Shepard's attentions. After all, the last thing she wanted was for Garrus or Miranda or someone else to hear them and come up to investigate the cabin. However, she hadn't expected this to be so overwhelmingly pleasurable and her attempts to maintain control were quickly evaporating. The only thing on her mind now was getting more. She began to thrust her own waist in sync with Shepards; mirroring his in-and-out motions; pulling out when he did so and pushing back in as he did. Soon after, she lifted her bowed, curved legs from the bed and hooked them up around Shepard's lower back, allowing him to penetrate her even more deeply. She realized this immediately and couldn't help but cry out in surprised delight. Her pleasure intensified ad their pace increased.

Their union continued for several more lengthless minutes. The air in the cabin became heavy and hot and beads of sweat appeared on both of their heads. Before long, Tali could feel herself approaching the end. Her breathing and moaning became erratic. A tension in her body grew rapidly and her muscles started to tense up. The intense shudders of pleasures grew gradually to overwhelming waves, and Tali was fearful for a second, not knowing what the end would be like. Suddenly, with little warning, her climax came. Tali's limbs froze and her mouth gaped as a wave of pure ecstasy emenated from her core, consuming her entire body, igniting every nerve ending in a tingling inferno. She frantically threw her arms down onto the bed and gripped the sheets, desperately biting into her lip. She shook with violent shudders and was unable to contain an intense, blissfull scream. Shepard was still thrusting, drawing out her orgasm and her inner walls gripped around him. Unable to hold himself any longer, he wrapped his arms around Tali and grunted through clenched teeth as he came into her in long, repeating spurts, emptying every bit of his seed inside her. Tali, still gripped by her overwhelming climax, continued to moan loudly and felt Shepard's release as she desperately clung to his shoulders and back. Though empty, Shepard continuedto thrust, giving Tali as much pleasure as she could bear.

Eventually, her continuous moan broke into segmented, ragged gasps and her muscles gradually relaxed. Shepard began to cease his movements and slipped his arms around Tali's back, holding her close. Moments later, Tali was finally able to fully open her eyes and stared into Shepards own, mere inches away. A peaceful smile grew across her glistening face and tears welled in her glowing eyes.

"Sh-Shepard..." she breathed, struggling for words. "Oh, Keelah, Shepard... that... I... I love you."

Shepard smiled back with equal compassion and lifted his hand to Tali's cheek, resting it fondly upon her gentle, glowing red flesh.

"I love you too, Tali," Shepard whispered back. "More than you know."

A tear ran its way down Tali's cheek. Shepard lifted himself off Tali and shifted to her side. He pulled the sheets on the bed over both of them, then returned to Tali, laying on his side and putting his arms around her midsection. She curled up next to him, feeling his broad chest press against her back and her curved legs intertwine with his. Their breaths slowed and coincided, chests rising and falling in unison. Feeling Shepard's breath on the top of her head, Tali began to fall asleep, first placing her hands on Shepards, increasing his embrace and bringing them even closer. As her eyes began to shut, Tali could only manage to reflect on the immense and complete bliss and happiness she was feeling. Two years. A dream over two years in the making had finally come true, despite impossible odds and even death. She felt... whole and absolute, laying there under the sheets with her noble mate that nobody in the galaxy or beyond could possibly replace. She gradually closed her eyes, slipping into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Well, there we have it. I tried to put in just the right amount of fluff at the end there to balance things out. Hopefully I avoided offending anyone and hopefully it wasn't really as serious as I made it out to be. Thanks for reading.

Yes, I will continue this story, and yes I will be tying in more scenes from the game. Hopefully I can do it justice. Anyway, thanks again for reading my smutty, romantic nonsense. Let me know what you think. I enjoy your criticism and comments. Please rate and review.


	3. The Hour After

Ok, so I recieved alot of positive feedback from the last chapter. Thanks for all the reviews! I'd like to respond to some of them openly...

Sharem - I am extremely relieved to hear that. I was trying to aim for that instead of making it sound smutty and perverted. Thanks so much.

Daan - Thanks. Yeah, I felt the same way while I was writing it, but I never really managed to remember to change it. And by the time I had it uploaded I didn't really want to go back and change it. Sorry. I'll try and change it when I bring it up in the future. Thanks for the review!

VandalX187 - You made me lol. Thanks, I'll keep that in mind for the next go they have.

Well, here's chapter three. We have a cameo with Joker and EDI as they approach the Relay. Unfortunately there won't be very much lovin' for the next chapter or so, so I hope you all can bear with me while I steer us back between the game and their relationship.

So, without further ado, I present Chapter Three of Aurora. Enjoy.

* * *

Even when Shepard set a course for the Omega 4 Relay, they knew they would only have a couple of hours to spend with each other. However, they would never have let that stop them, and although they only slept for an hour or so, they both silently concurred that it was definitely worth it.

* * *

Tali opened her eyes slowly, the dim light from the bedside lamp meeting her eyes. She yawned roughly and realized that she felt quite groggy. After taking a deep breath, she found that her head was congested as well, and there was a slight soreness in the back of her throat.

_Dammit..._ Well, it was inevitable and she had expected it.

_I guess it's just lucky that I braced my system with those antibiotics. It could've been much worse._

Just then, Shepard shifted slightly and took a deep, relaxed breath, apparently roused from his sleep. He caressed Tali's stomach with his hands gently and grazed the top of her covered head with his chin. Realizing he was awake, Tali looked over her shoulder, then rotates herself under the sheets to that they were laying face to face. They gazed at each other, Tali's glowing eyes shrouding her pupils.

"Good morning, Tali," said Shepard fondly.

"Good morning, Commander," she replied, then dropped her voice. "Thank you... so much for, umm... you know, last night."

"It was my pleasure," Shepard said with a smile, glancing at the bedside clock. "But technically it wasn't last night. We've only been sleeping for just over an hour. Feels longer, I know."

"Well, I suppose I'm feeling a little more tired than normal. I woke up congested and with a sore throat as well."

Shepard raised his head a little and took on a concerned expression.

"Oh god, did I get you sick?" he said with worry.

"It's alright. Like I said, it's not really a sickness, just an allergic reaction," she said casually, then placed her hand on his chest. "And besides, it was completely worth it."

Shepard relaxed a little. "Are you sure you'll be okay for the mission?" he asked.

"Absolutely. I'll probably get a fever, but not until after we come back... if we come back."

Shepard reached out and touched her arm. "We will." he said confidently.

"I hope you're right," said Tali anxiously. In response, Shepard leaned forward and met her face with a deep, soothing kiss, their faces rubbing against the pillows.

On the bridge, Joker silently ticked away at the Normandy's helm, adjusting speed and course as they traveled ever closer to their destination. To the left and behind, concerningly just out of sight, EDI's spherical form hung silently on the hologram pedestal. Her positioning bothered Joker, making him feel like she was always watching him, maybe even disappearing whenever he turned around, which he honestly wouldn't doubt she might try.

Though he had to admit, he felt alot better about having EDI on the ship ever since the Collector ambush. Without her help, Joker himself would probably be a prisoner right now. Plus, as much as he hated to admit it, it was nice to have some company now. The seats behind him were all empty, as was the rest of the CIC. No more friendly voices conversing around him. In spite of his mistrust, Joker couldn't help but feel some compatriotism toward EDI.

Suddenly, jarring Joker from his thoughts, a section of the display in front of him lit up, informing him that the ship was now approaching the Relay. Almost simultaneously, the comm hud blinked to life with an incoming call.

"It's the Illusive Man. He must have known we were approaching the relay. Probably wants to give Shepard the obligatory pep talk. I'll let him know. Hey EDI, Shepard's in his quarters, right?"

EDI replied without hesitation, "Jeff, allow me to inform Shepard."

"Oh, come on, EDI. I can't let you start doing everything around here," Joker replied.

"I insist you let me speak to Shepard. As the ship's helmsman, you should concentrate on guiding us to our destination," said EDI, a little more forcefully this time.

"Ugghhh... fine," Joker grunted with a resigned sigh.

EDI vanished from the cockpit, leaving Joker to examine the rapidly changing readings in front of him.

One deck higher, lips were still locked and Shepard was caressing Tali's bare thigh with his hand. Mere seconds later, the pedestal in Shepard's room blinked and seamlessly projected EDI's hologram.

"Shepard," EDI said suddenly, causing Shepard and Tali to jump in surprise. Poking his head out above the sheets, Shepard cautiously looked over to EDI.

"Shepard, please excuse me. I hope I am not interrupting."

Shepard and Tali looked at each other and shrugged.

"It's fine, EDI. I think we're done here anyway," said Shepard with slight disappointment.

"Very well," continued EDI. "I felt I should warn you and Miss Zorah that we are an estimated 12 minutes from the Omega 4 relay, and the Illusive Man had requested to speak with you in the briefing room as soon as possible. I suggest you hurry."

"Aw, crap," Shepard mumbled. He threw off the sheets and sat up, quickly searching for his clothes. Tali did the same, grabbing different portions of her suit from the floor. As she did so, she occasionally glanced over her shoulder, trying to get in a few last eyefuls of Shepard's body before he covered it.

Moments later, Shepard had his shorts and pants on and was walking around the bed to his armor locker. He quickly donned his bulky leg components, boots, and capacitor chestplate as Tali finally managed to secure the rest of her suit and shawl, only her mask remaining off now. Wearing everything but his N7 helmet, Shepard approached Tali and turned her to face him. Tali gazed at his affectionate face and swallowed nervously. She wanted desperately to remain with Shepard, out of her mask, free to touch and be touched by him. Sensing her depressed demeanor, Shepard reached out and put his hands on her arms comfortingly.

"It's okay. Don't worry, we can do this again some time. I promise." he said, then leaned forward and pulled her into another deep, longing kiss. Without pulling away, Tali grabbed her faceplate and slowly raised it to her face. Shepard continued to kiss her for as long as he possibly could, keeping his lips to hers, and breaking away only a split second before Tali brought the mask to her helmet and pushed it in securely, sealing her beauty behind the foggy, purple veil with a firm click. Her bright, glowing eyes blinked open in the darkness and she gave a resigned sigh that sounded unbelievably sad.

"Hey, don't worry about it... You're still beautiful," Shepard said her reassuringly.

Tali gave a slight curtsy. "Why thank you, commander," she said.

Shepard lifted his breather helmet and placed it over his head securely.

"Come on, let's get back to the mission," Shepard said casually. He held out a gloved hand to Tali, who eagerly took it and held it in her own. They walked out of the room, hand in hand, past the brief hall and out to the elevator door. Before they entered the elevator, Tali suddenly grasped Shepard's arm tightly.

"Shepard, wait..."

He paused and looked at Tali, who glanced at the floor, then looked back up at his face, her eyes heavy with emotion.

"...I love you, Shepard. I love you so much," she said with a quiver in her voice. Shepard quickly pulled her into a tight embrace, hugging her fiercely. He touched his helmet to hers and closed his eyes.

"I love you too, Tali. And that's never going to change."

Tali smiled blissfully under her mask and clung to Shepard for a few seconds more. They then separated and moved into the elevator. Shepard pressed the button to the CIC and the doors closed, leaving the cabin in utter silence.

* * *

Well, there you go. I'll try and get the next chapter uploaded soon. Hope I didn't over-exaggerate the whole "love" thing in this one. I wanted to add a bit more fluff in this chapter in preparation for the next one.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed Chaper 3. As always, please leave constructive criticism and reviews. I enjoy your feedback.


	4. Suicide Mission

And I bet some of you were thinking I had forgotten about this, eh? Well, I'm still here, and the chapters are still coming.

Here's part 4 of my Tali & Shepard romance. This has alot more to do with the actual game events than my story specifically, and hopefully I did the game justice, but that's all up for you to decide. Let me know what you think after you read it.

This chapter starts after Shepard and his team destroy the human reaper in the Collector base. And yes, my Shepard made the paragon choice.

* * *

TWO HOURS LATER...

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" Joker shouted in frustration, fracturing his finger on the comm button, but taking no notice. "Shepard! Shepard! What's going on in there!"

At that moment, inside the massive Collector base, Shepard was regaining consciousness. Opening his eyes, he felt a deep, throbbing ache in his skull. Then he became aware of the crushing weight on his back, pressing him to the ground. Simultaneously gathering his thoughts, Shepard shifted his hands to the area just under him, pressing against the floor and propping himself up. He groaned heavily and, using every bit of his strength, pushed up the massive steel slab resting on his back. Finally, he was able to turn and push away the heavy debris, causing it to slam to the ground with a resonating clang. Shepard stood up, ignoring his sore muscles, and looked around the metal pedestal that had slammed into the rock wall of the colossal cavern. Looking up, he saw the space where only a moment ago, the human reaper had fallen, causing the floating pedestals him and his team were standing on to fall. Speaking of his team...

Shepard looked around the platform and spotted Garrus, lying under a similar piece of steel. He ran over to him, lifting the debris from Garrus as he regained consciousness. Garrus slowly picked himself up and shook his head out of a daze. Glancing over his shoulder, a cold panic struck Shepard as he spotted a familiar blue form on the ground. Tali was pressed against the floor by a large, jagged piece of rock, likely dislodged from the nearby wall. He suddenly recalled that she had volunteered to join him on the platform, along with Garrus.

"Tali!" Shepard sprinted over to her limp body, quickly freeing her from the confining debris. He grasped her shoulders, giving her a light shake.

"Tali!" He repeated. A moment later, Garrus approached them and knelt down next to Shepard. Slowly, Tali's glowing eyes blinked to life in the darkness behind her purple veil.

"Shepard... wha-..." she stammered weakly.

"Tali! Thank god. The platform fell when we killed that damn Reaper. Are you okay?" Shepard asked with obvious concern.

"I'm... I'm fine. Just a little shaken up. I can still walk," she replied.

"Well, we're gonna have to do more than that," interrupted Garrus, "this place is about to blow, whether we're still here or not. We'll have to make a run for the ship."

Tali was up in seconds, ready to move. Before Shepard could react, Joker's desperate voice burst from the radio.

"Come on, Shepard! Don't leave me hanging!"

"Joker, we're alright. Did everyone make it on board?"

"All survivors on board, we're just waiting on you. Double-time it, Shepard, we've got to get the hell out of here!" Joker said urgently.

"Roger that, Joker," Shepard confirmed, "get the ship ready. We're on our way."

He switched off the radio and immediately spotted an opening in the huge cavern wall beside the outcropping on which they stood. He signaled Tali and Garrus over to the entryway. "You heard the man, let's get out of here!" he shouted.

"Roger that, let's run like hell!" replied Garrus.

As they approached the opening in the wall, a seeker swarm entered the cavern and bore down on the three. Seeing the swarm pursuing them from behind, they entered a full out sprint through the passageway. They raced through a series of hallways toward the exterior chamber, and groups of Collector drones began to appear behind them, unleashing flurries of gunfire at the fleeing trio. Taking a quick glance over his shoulder, Shepard saw one of the Collectors glow with bright yellow flame, signaling Harbinger's control, then he heard the familiar menacing voice calling after him.

"Human! You've changed nothing!" the voice shouted. Shepard took no notice and continued to run, Garrus and Tali following closely, dodging laser fire from behind.

"Your species has the attention of those infinitely your greater! That which you know as Reapers are your salvation through destruction!"

Finally, they sprinted through an archway and entered another cavernous outer chamber, large enough for the Normandy to enter. As they fled toward the middle of the chamber, where a ledge jutted out into open space, even more Collectors emerged from various entryways behind. An explosion erupted just behind Tali, shaking the ground and sending bits of rock flying everywhere. Tali's ears rang and her visor shook. She came close to collapsing, but willed herself to keep going. She kept Shepard in her focus and concentrated on nothing but his form, leading her through the chaos.

Running further and further, the path behind them filled ever more with Collectors, who continued to fire. By now, gunfire was frequently impacting the backs of the three pursuees, but their kinetic barriers were holding steady. As long as they had time in between each hit to recharge, they would be fine. However, the hits from the pursuing drones were becoming more and more frequent.

Several hundred feet ahead, Shepard saw the Normandy's gleaming body rise from below the ledge and hover there, waiting for them to get close enough. Some of the Collectors began firing at the ship, but its shields were more than capable of deflecting their attacks.

The three sped up and made a mad dash for the Normandy. Tali felt the heat of gunfire impact her shields behind her, and suddenly, without warning, they disintegrated in with a flash. Time slowed down and Tali prayed for the barrier to recharge. Moments later, she felt a searing heat tear into her left shoulder, breaking through the suit there first. She stumbled, grabbing her shoulder and letting out a pained, strangled cry. Shepard glanced over his shoulder, did a double take and saw Tali falling behind.

"Tali!" he shouted. He gave Garrus a shove toward the Normandy and then retreated a few steps to where Tali was stumbling forth. Her shields flickered back on, promising protection for only some time. Shepard reached her and immediately activated his omnitool, quickly administering medi-gel to her wound. Mere seconds later, Tali had regained composure and began to run again, by Shepard's side. The flurries of lasers increased, showering the ground around them both.

Only a hundred feet away, Garrus reached the end of the ledge and leaped effortlessly into the Normandy's exterior hatch. As he did so, Joker suddenly appeared from the airlock with an X-8 assault rifle and opened fire on the pursuing Collectors. With nearly every shot meeting a target, Joker gave a smug grin and continued hip-firing.

With mere meters to go, Shepard gave Tali a push to move ahead while he pulled out his Revenant machine gun and unleashed a firestorm on the Collectors approaching them. Seconds later, Tali managed to jump into the Normandy as Joker and Garrus both provided cover fire. The entire structure around them then shook from a preliminary explosion. Debris rained down from the ceiling and a massive steel plate smashed through the ledge, only feet from the awaiting Normandy, destroying the path to the hatch and leaving a large gap between the edge and the ship. Shepard looked at the gap, then at the hovering Normandy. He saw Tali in the hatch, subconsciously holding her hands to her faceplate in terrified shock. On either side of her, Joker and Garrus looked on, wide-eyed. Knowing what would have to be done, Shepard holstered his weapon and took several steps back. Taking a deep breath, he ran at full speed toward the end of the ledge. He pumped his legs as fast as possible, dodging Collector gunfire from behind. There was a small incline at the end of ledge, and then there was nothing. Shepard leaped into the open space, his momentum carrying him toward the Normandy. Only feet from the hull, he began to drop and brought up his legs and outstretched his arms. Shepard slammed into the Normandy, his chest hitting the walkway of the open hatch. He clung to the inside with his legs dangling below. Tali immediately bent forward and gabbed Shepard's hand with her uninjured arm. "Shepard!" she screamed.

Garrus dropped his weapon and assisted Tali in pulling Shepard up from the ledge. More and more Collectors poured forth, furiously firing upon the Normandy in vain. As Shepard was finally able to pull himself fully into the hatch, EDI pulled the ship away, picking up speed and accelerating through the base. The hatch door closed and Joker, Shepard, Tali, and Garrus rushed through the airlock, ignoring decontamination, heading toward the bridge. As they entered, EDI's voice was reading out a countdown to the detonation. Joker tossed his weapon to the ground and limped toward his seat. "Yeah, I got the gist of it, EDI. Hold on!" he interrupted.

Pushing the speed as far as he dared, Joker guided the ship through one of the ports on the massive base as an explosion erupted behind them, sending a wave of heat through the passage at their backs. Fire shot through every possible, incinerating the interior construction. As the extreme heat reached everything it possibly could, the superstructure's core went critical, imploding for a nanosecond, then erupted in a massive explosion. The entire base blasted in half and a think shockwave ripped through space. Joker pushed the Normandy to full throttle, trying to warm up the warp drive core. Pulling up, he flew the ship over the debris field and the shockwave careened after them, incinerating the ancient, fractured ships. Seconds later, the Normandy's drive core lit up, charged, and pulled the ship into a mass effect field, sending it tearing through space at light speed as the fiery blast wave dissipated outside of the former station's kinetic barrier fields.

* * *

Darkness gave way to light. A massive, fiery blue orb illuminated a ghostly figure in a chair. The Illusive Man removed his cigarette, dropping it into the chair's ashtray and fixing his peculiar eyes on the apparition appearing before him.

"Shepard," he said hotly, "you're making a habit of costing me more than time and money." Shepard brought his hand up to his helmet, mimicking a tap on his earpiece.

"I'm sorry, what was that? I'm picking up a lot of bullshit on this channel." he said casually, his voice betraying a hint of spite. The Illusive Man's eyes squinted in a fierce glare at the crude comment.

"The information and technology in that base could've secured human dominance in the galaxy; could've protected us! From the Reapers and beyond!"

"Human dominance?" Shepard replied with a challenging stance, "or just Cerberus?"

The Illusive Man stood from his chair. "Strength for Cerberus is strength for every human. Cerberus IS humanity," he pointed vigorously at Shepard, "I should've known you'd choke on the hard decisions. Too idealistic from the start!"

"I made MY decision," said Shepard, crossing his arms. "Too many lives were lost; too many people used in that place. I'm not sorry it's gone!"

Giving a gruff sigh, the Illusive Man brought a hand up to his temple. "That's really why you did this, Shepard? Because lives were lost there? Because bad things happened there? I've never heard anything so foolish."

"It's not just that. You honestly think you could've used that technology? And, even if you could've, for the right reasons? The only things in that base, aside from the thousands of human corpses, were bits and pieces of one unfinished Reaper. It wasn't worth keeping. Hell, if it's Reaper tech you wanted, then why wouldn't you have just gotten it from that derelict Reaper in Thorne?"

The Illusive Man's response came in a raging stare.

"Exactly," said Shepard. "Harbinger is coming and he won't be alone. Humanity needs a leader who's looking out for them. From now on, I'm doing things my way, whether you agree or not."

In a sudden move, the Illusive Man walked briskly up to Shepard's hologram. "Don't turn your back on me, Shepard! I made you; I brought you back from the dead!"

"Joker! Lose this channel." Shepard turned and walked out of the holographic display with a smug smirk. The Illusive Man's eyes were still focused on the spot where Shepard disappeared. He let out a long, silent breath before turning and walking back to his chair. Dropping into the seat heavily, he lit a cigarette and stared at the massive orb of blue fire, contemplating the power he could have had.

* * *

Well, there ya go. This is one of the shortest chapters, but felt alot like the longest to me. I'm kinda glad I got it out of the way to be honest. Anyway, R&R and tell me what you think. Hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner, but I can't promise anything. I can promise, though, that it will come. Just keep watching those alerts people. And thanks for reading.


	5. What's to Come

Their offset footsteps resounded coldly on the floor of the engineering deck as the pair made their way to the elevator. For Tali, the time it was taking them to reach it was lasting millenia, but she couldn't mind nor care at the moment. She wasn't anxious; she wasn't concerned. She just felt utterly careless in the presence of her commander; her lover. The one person that meant more to her right now than nearly anything else in the galaxy combined.

Shepard must have sensed something different in her behavior, and placed a hand on Tali's arm very gently, carefully, almost as if to avoid any minor disturbance that might shake her from her serene state.

The two finally reached the elevator and Shepard casually depressed the call button, waiting for the doors to open. In the pause that followed, he turned and looked out the observation glass and into the damaged cargo bay, where a team of engineers were busily working to repair several large gaps in the hull. They were all too focused on the task to notice their commander gazing down from above. Although there was one other person. Shifting his gaze up and to the right, Shepard could see Zaeed, sitting on an idle crate in the starboard cargo room. The mercenary sat with his arms crossed over his chest, looking at the floor thoughtfully. After a few moments, he looked up at Shepard with his arm around Tali in a partial embrace. Zaeed smirked and Shepard replied with a non-caring grin. Zaeed stared for a moment, then gave a small nod.

A gentle 'ding' signaled that the elevator had arrived. Shepard turned back and, still with his arm around the Quarian engineer, walked inside, the doors rapidly closing behind them. Zaeed watched them enter before looking back at the floor. "Goddamn lovebirds..." he said with a chuckle.

* * *

**In case you couldn't figure it out, I'M BACK, BABY! That's right, almost a year after my last release, I have finally found the motivation to pick up the story again. However, the next chapter is still in progress. This little blip is just a teaser to what's coming in the next chapter. I just wanted to send a message to let everyone know that they should keep their eyes open for upcoming updated and additions to the story. To anyone who's still watching this story and checking for updates, THANK YOU AND I'M SORRY for leaving this whole thing dead for so long. Keep an eye on those emails and check back frequently in the coming weeks. **


	6. Rebuilding

**And here we are! As promised, the next chapter of this collection of droning drabble and romance I call Aurora. Phew, I'm really cutting it close too, as in about 16 hours I'll be jumping on a plane and flying off to Europe for 3 weeks. I hope this is enough to tide you all over until I can get back and write up the next segment. Unfortunately, some people might be a little let down with this chapter. Lots o' words, not so much fluff or smut. I suppose you'll just have to wait. Enjoy!**

* * *

The CIC was a abuzz with activity. People were coming and going, walking brisk and hurriedly. Everywhere, omnitools blazed, covering the walls and shining surfaces with a bright orange glow. The entire room buzzed with excited yet hushed conversation. Still, no one was distracted from their work; everyone was focused intently upon their respective tasks. The elation that followed their victory at the Collector base had brought about a shipwide sense of unified determination. No one openly acknowledged it, but they were all subject to it.

In the midst of the buzz, the elevator door swished open and Commander Shepard stepped into the room, drawing several glances of admiration and respect from the passing crew members nearest the elevator. He stood out amongst the group, still wearing most of his fierce-looking combat armor, minus the helmet and, more noticably, the glove and lower-arm pieces, allowing him to work unrestricted. The bear arms and armor-clad torso gave the Commander a distinct 'roll-up-your-sleeves-and-get-down-to-work' look. He stopped in front of the galaxy map and quickly observed the activity in the room. A group of crewmen was busy creating a makeshift hull patch on an open blast hole in the starboard wall that, for the moment, was only covered by a mostly transparent blue kinetic barrier; beyond it was empty, black space. Several security officers and a navigator were hunched over a tangle of loose wires streaming from an open side panel. An anxious looking soldier dutifully picked up two large scorched and dented metal panels from the cluttered floor and carried them to a designated junk pile next to the armory door. He passed by Shepard and gave a respectful nod, being unable to salute with his currently full hands.

Shepard nodded back absent-mindedly whilst continuing to evaluate the dedicated work of his crew with admiration. Most of them were feeling pretty damn good right about now. A sense of victory was thick in the air. Still, he knew there were quite a few of them who weren't quite so elated. Every once in a while, among the groups of focused, confident faces, one could catch a glimpse of a face filled with anxiety, or shrouded in haunting trauma. Unfortunately, the victory over the Collectors hadn't entirely eclipsed the trauma of the entire crew's violent abduction shortly before. Many were still shaken up, injured, or deeply disturbed by the encounter, and understandably so.

Then, of course, there was the looming threat of the Reapers. It was this, above /almost/ anything else that was paramount in Shepard's concerns. He was still well aware that, although the Collectors were defeated, his mission would not be over until the Reapers were completely wiped out. He doubted that any of the crew were also plagued by such distant concerns. Yet, for now at least, it was not their burden to carry.

Shepard walked briskly around the galaxy map and orange ship hologram, heading toward the cockpit. He strode past several crewmen who dutifully stood and saluted, with even more vehemence than usual. Not wanting to stop, Shepard gave a return salute in motion and continued walking. He stepped up and into the cockpit corridor. Joker's voice immediately came into earshot. "...just what am I supposed to do about it, EDI? Crawl around under the panels and fracture my skull or something? Just call someone up here." Shepard walked into the cockpit to find a familiar sight. Joker sat slouched in the pilot's seat, his hands a blur on the holographic interface. On the left, EDI hovered above her pedestal silently. Everything was normal up here, save the impact marks scattered across the cockpit windows.

"Joker." Shepard spoke up.

"Huh? Oh, hey Commander," the pilot responded, swiveling the chair around to face him. "Before you say anything... you don't need to congratulate or commend me or anything. I know I did a really kick ass job back there, what, with the shooting and the timely rescue and the more-than-impressive escape flight." Shepard rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. You saved our lives, you're the hero of humanity and we'd all be dead without you. YOU; our dear, handicapped smartass."

"No one appreciates the sarcasm, Commander." Joker said trying not to chuckle. Shepard smirked and shook his head.

"What's the situation up here?" he asked, regaining a straight face. "Well, we've got almost all our important systems back up to speed. The engines are still at half power while the engineers repair the stress damage from that last warp from the Collector base. Garrus has been working non-stop on our weapons systems, but I doubt we'll be needing them any time soon. Oh, yeah, and my navigations are still a little, erm... flickery. Damn readings keep blinking in and out. That's why I'm _trying _to get someone up here to fix it." Joker paused and gave a loud sigh. "...other than that though, things are pretty much fine. Super."

Before Shepard could reply, EDI interjected without missing a beat.

"Joker, I am quite certain the repairs are basic enough for you to perform manually, as I have previously stated."

"Hey! Are you saying i could only manage it because it's BASIC enough for me? Besides, you heard Shepard, I'm the hero of humanity. I shouldn't have to lift a finger. People should be lining up to do things for me!"

"And somehow," Shepard interrupted, "there's no line of willing servants stretching out behind the cockpit. I'm heading down to the medbay to talk with Chakwas. If I see any idle hands I'll send 'em up to you. If not, you'll just have to suck it up and suffer one more cruel injustice in your heroic life. As Jack would say, 'pick your vagina up off the floor and man the fuck up.'"

Joker's eyes went wide at the vulgarity of the Commander's last statement. he was even unable to muster the sarcastically over-dramatic salute he had been planning. "Sir, yes, sir, Commander-sir-Shepard sir... sir!" He swiveled back around to face the instruments and resumed his endless turning, twisting, and pushing. Shepard turned and exited the cockpit and went back to the CIC, his heavy armor boots resonating on the polished floor. Everyone was still working away; pounding metal, welding plates, replacing wires, coming and going carying various bits of debris. The elevator was in use as well and Shepard had to wait momentarily to call it up. The doors slid open and a pair of technicians rushed out past Shepard. He got in and depressed the button for the crew deck. As the doors closed and the elevator began to descend, Shepard paused to reflect on his current concern.

Ever since they had escaped from the Collector base, there had been one thing gnawing at Shepard's mind. It was the only thing that could eclipse the anxiety of the fast-approaching Reaper invasion. Tali'Zorah had been wounded in the combat during their escape. A chance shot from one of the many pursuing Collector drones had found its way to her unshielded arm while her, Shepard, and Garrus were making their escape dash to the awaiting Normandy. As soon as the ship warped away from the galactic core and back into safe space, Shepard's first action was to carry her to the medbay and leave her in the capable hands of Doctor Chakwas while he went to tell off the Illusive Man. Nearly twelve hours of organizing the crew and repairing the ship had passed before Chakwas notified him that Tali was on her feet and in stable condition.

Shepard's reflection was interrupted by the swish of the elevator doors, this time revealing the rear hallway of the crew deck. He walked out and quickly rounded the corner on his left, entering a crowded crew lounge. A portion of the crew were gathered around near the table, as were several members of Shepard's team, including Kasumi, Grunt, Jack, Jacob, and a detatched-looking Thane in the middle of deep thought. Many of the Normandy crew looked exhausted and drained with an overtone of relief. The members of the team, however, were another story. With the exception of Thane, they were all boisterous and roudy, making statements of victory and recounting moments from the battle in the Collector base. Their lighthearted, victorious tone was a slight ease on Shepard's nerves. Across the room, Mess Sergeant Gardner was leaning non-chalantly against the counter, looking at the floor. Shepard caught his attention with a wave and shouted to him.

"Gardner! I think Joker could use your help upstairs." The mess sergeant gave him a dazed look, then suddenly seemed to grasp his understanding.

"Oh, uh... sure, Commander. Whatever you say," he acknowledged, then walked off toward the elevator at a slow, deliberate pace. Shepard entered the medbay to find a slouching Doctor Chakwas sitting in her chair in front of a glowing terminal. To Shepard's surprise, the rest of the room was mostly vacant; only one bed was occupied by Crewman Hawthorne, who was still rather battered from the Collector attack.

Chakwas turned to identify whoever had just entered the room. "Ah, Shepard... good to see you're keeping yourself busy." The doctor greeted through a yawn.

"Believe me, doc, there's more than enough for me to do at this point." Shepard said. He began to remove various bits of his armor and place them on the nearest clear table. "How are you holding up?" he asked.

"Oh, I'm just fine... Although I haven't had the opportunity to rest since the... well, since our close encounter. People have been in and out for minor injuries almost nonstop. Luckily, we haven't seen anything worse than a few broken bones."

Shepard removed the last piece of his armor, the bulky chest, and set it on the table with a thud. "You know, considering we were going into this thing calling it a 'suicide mission,' I'd say we got off pretty damn lucky. No casualties, no major injuries, repairs going smoothly... Hell, I'm half expecting a Reaper to swoop in and spoil our too-good-to-be-true victory." He had to resist a tremor in his voice as a result of the half truth of that last statement. Chakwas chuckled.

"Let's hope that does indeed remain a paranoid joke. And, Shepard... are you sure you're alright? You're positive you're not injured or... anything?" She probed.

"Please, Doctor, I'm fine. Like I said, pretty damn lucky, right?"

"Hmm, yes. Anyway, I take you're here about Miss Zorah?"

Shepard looked up. "Yeah, um... I thought she'd still be in here."

"Well, she was in good condition after I treated her wound. I insisted that she take some time to relax and get some rest, she would have none of it. She walked out and immediately went down to engineering to help with the work going on down there before I could even say a word. I swear, Shepard, that girl can't take even one second for herself."

"It's just her way. She certainly is a Quarian, no doubt about it." Shepard paused and grinned admiringly. "...so, give me the rundown."

"Of course," Chakwas turned and picked up a datapad from her desk. She quickly brought up Tali's informaion with a few blips. "Alright, as you know, she came in with a moderately-sized gunshot wound through her upper left arm. It was a penetration shot, through both sides, so there was no projectile to bother with, however it did result in a bit more tissue and nerve damage, as well as extra puncture to her suit. The bleeding was light, no hit arteries, and no severe muscle damage. The wound will be there for quite a bit of time, but it shall definitely heal. "I let her do the suit repair before I bandaged it up. Unfortunately, the affected portion of her arm was exposed for a while. She came down with a rather severe reaction, but got over it astonishingly fast. She still has some symptoms, but it's not nearly as bad as it was."

Shepard pondered for a moment. "And her arm... How well is it able to function?"

"Well, she has limited use of it, but I wouldn't recommend her to use it very much until it's well on the way to being healed. There will be lingering pain and soreness, but that should fade soon enough."

"Hmm... So... she'll be alright then?" he persisted, trying to conceal the great scale of his concern.

"Well..." Chakwas began with an irritated sigh. "I hate having to so strictly summarize my diagnosis but, yes, she should be just fine."

"Thanks, Doc." Shepard sounding almost a little too relieved. "I'll get out of your hair now."

"Alright then, Commander." Shepard turned and exited the bright medbay. Chakwas just managed to glance over at the table on which Shepard had set his disassembled armor a few minutes prior. "Oh, Shepard! Don't you want your..." But shepard was already out of earshot and in the elevator, eagerly mashing the button that would send him down to engineering

The engines hummed silently. The colossal, (yet technically quite tiny), warp drive core hung gleaming down the hall, sending deep, subtle frequencies throughout the entire deck. All over the corridor and maintenance area, metal panels sat leaning up against the walls that they had been removed from for the series of physical repairs that had taken place over the last several hours. As a result, the electronic hum that would normally be muffled below hearable levels instead reverberated at a quiet, yet noticable volume. However, the noise had no effect on the two engineers in Cerberus fatigues, currently hunched over the holographic interfaces on their maintenance pedestals.

Ken Donnelly and Gabriella Daniels shakily typed away at the panels, repeatedly observing readings and making various adjustments to engine and power systems. They both had pale, tired faces, bearing dark circles under their eyes. Physically, they were beaten; but inside, they were filled with pride and enthusiasm. They had been working nonstop since their rescue to get the engine and power systems back up to full capacity. It was relatively basic work, but there was a lot of it, making the process tedious at best.

Across the drive core access corridor, about a dozen feet away from the studious engineers, Tali'Zorah stood in front of her own seperate maintenance pedestal, glowing bright orange with a multitude of holographic readings. She was hunched over the various displays, leaning against the pedestal with her hands and looking utterly absorbed in her task. A portion of her suit on the left shoulder was covered with a slightly out of place metallic patch that concealed an protected the bullet hole.

Like the others, Tali too had turned away all offers to rest so that she could continue working on the ship as much as posible. Since she had taken the ship name, vas Normandy, she sensed a strong bond to it and felt an obligation to take care of it as much as she could. Then again, she was also a Quarian, and the thought of having any solvable engineering or technical issues on board was an itch that she had to be rid of.

She did feel strong pangs of guilt for not waiting to hear from Shepard after her recovery. But she also knew that Shepard would most likely have his hands full in the wake of the suicide mission, and that she might as well make herself useful until he had the time to come see her. Being the proud engineer that she was, Tali figured that she probably wouldn't have been able to stay sane sitting on a medical table, doing nothing.

Then again, it was difficult to stay sane for her even now. For the last hour, all she had done was throw herself against the same mechanical error, over and over again. It was starting to take it's toll on Tali's patience. She was trying not to let it show, but her resolve was quickly thinning.

"Dammit!" A loud bang sounded as Tali slammed her fist upon the top of her workstation. Her outburst easily caught the attention of her fellow engineers. Kenneth and Gabby swung their heads to look at their Quarian counterpart. Tali stood fiercly, leaning forward against the control panel and breathing heavily, even audible from within her helmet. Kenneth gave Gabby a questioning stare and Gabby could only reply with a lost shrug.

"Uhh, Tali...?" the male engineer said through a think Scottish accent. "Are you alright?"

"YES! Yes... uhh. I'm fine. I just can't seem to- *slam!* -get these readings to line up properly and I know that if I have to go back and make another adjustment, it'll just screw up every other damn thing!" Tali finished her annoyed response before harshly coughing twice. Ken and Gabby looked concerningly at eachother for a moment, as if collectively trying to come up with a safe reply. Gabby spoke up in a soft, cautious voice.

"Maybe you should go get some rest. Kenneth and I would be more than willing to-"

"No, no..." Tali interrupted, sounding more resigned than annoyed this time. "I think it'd be best if I at least get this adjustment finished. I don't want to have to come back to it unfinished later on."

Her two counterparts didn't look convinced, but they ultimately decided to lay off, knowing that their continued pressuring could do more harm than good.

Tali folded her arms on the console and stared blankly at her work, trying to collect her thoughts. She knew that they were probably right, but keeping her mind busy and occupied would make the recovery more bearable for her. That was lie. She knew it. Working might help, but the only thing that could possibly make her feel better was being with her Commander.

Still buried in thought, Tali failed to notice the engineering door swish open behind her. In stepped Shepard, clad in the casual Cerberus crew uniform. The commander felt his heart give a shudder upon seeing his Quarian lover standing before him, facing the opposite direction. Shepard took a moment to briefly admire her form, then silently stepped forward and stood just behind the oblivious Quarian. He raised his hands and quickly wrapped them around her midsection. Tali jumped in surprise before suddenly realising who it was.

"Oh! Shepard." She said. Shepard brought her close, her back pressed against his chest. He rested his head above her right shoulder so he could speak in her ear.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were avoiding me." he said to her smoothly.

"Of course not," Tali replied, "...well, unless of course you're also about to try and tell me I should take some time off to rest." Shepard chuckled in response.

"No, I trust Donnelly and Daniels-" he raised his voice so the two engineers could hear him, "-have done that for me already." Ken and Gabby looked over awkwardly with guily grins. Tali made a nervous chuckle but struggled to find words. Her hands were still busily typing away. Shepard placed his hand on hers, halting her work mid-stroke. He could feel her hands shaking slightly, and gently rotated Tali around to face him. She had her head turned toward the floor.

"Hey..." he prompted softly. She didn't move her head, but looked up at Shepard through her mask. "...are you okay?"  
Tali's eyes darted around nervously, making it seem as though she was searching for words. Eventually, she just leaned forward and tiredly rested her head upon Shepard's chest.

"I don't want to work on this damn ship, Shepard. Not right now, at least. That sounds terrible of me to say, but I just don't." she said exhaustedly.

"And what DO you want, Tali?" said Shepard quietly. For the first time, Tali raised her head and looked right into Shepard's eyes.

She stared for a moment, then lightly slapped a gloved hand on his broad chest. "Oh, you know damn well what I want, you bosh'tet!" she said with, finally, a hint of lightness in her voice. She felt her face grow hot. Shepard grinned devilishly and brought both hands to rest on Tali's wide hips.

"Well, I would just hate to keep you waiting," He said in her ear, "in fact, I was just about to head up to the captain's quarters if you wanted to come along. Maybe I could take a look at that wound of yours. Although, that _would _require full removal of your suit and everything..."

Tali smirkd inwardly. "Oh my," she replied with feigned resignation, "Well, if I _have _to, then I guess we should..." She couldn't help but let out a quiet giggle.

Across the room, Kenneth looked up from his station to see Shepard and his Quarian colleague locked in an intimate embrace. With a smirk on his face, he gently nudged Gabby and motioned to them. She followed his gaze and quickly threw him a disapproving look. Kenneth merely shrugged and was about to look back over at them when Shepard's voice rang out.

"Eyes on your work, Donnelly..." Kenneth jumped a little and nervously readjusted his focus to the console.

"Yes, Commander!" he replied sheepishly. It was not even a minute later that he risked another peek, only to find Tali's station empty and the sound of footsteps receding from the room as the engineering door closed with a swish.

* * *

**Well there we go. Hope you enjoyed it and I hope this makes up for my year-long brake from writing that I still feel guilty for. Feel free to R&R and I'll be sure to read the reviews once I get back from Europe... in 3 weeks... damn, that's a long time. Thanks again for sticking with me and my lazy ass. See you next time.**


	7. Aurora

**Well here we are, Chapter 7 of Aurora. **

**Fun Fact: I wrote half of this while sitting bored out of my mind in a small hotel room in Munich! **

**It is imparitive that you read my notes at the end, once you've finished reading.**

**Well, enjoy!**

* * *

Shepard was pacing anxiously in front of his bed; the sound of dull footsteps softly reverberated around the small, but comfortable space. He wasn't nervous so much as simply impatient. Behind him, the bed was still unkempt and the sheets on top of it remained tangled together from the previous night. Noticing this, he walked over and began to make the bed in an attempt to occupy his mind during the momentary period of waiting. It was during this time that Shepard had to tell himself why the wait was indeed necessary.

It was only minutes ago, in the elevator after having retrieved Tali from the engine room, that the Quarian engineer reminded her commander that, without the proper antibiotics and immuno-boosters, their intimacy would quite likely be cut short with a not-so-happy ending. More specifically, her immune system giving out, resulting in extreme illness or worse. It was because of this that Tali had gotten off on the crew deck, promising Shepard that she would retrieve her medical supplies and return to his quarters as quickly as possible. Easier said than done, as the young Quarian was currently finding out.

As Shepard continued his absent-minded attempts to tidy up, Tali was two levels below, in the Normandy's crew deck. With a small container of antibiotic injections in hand, she was nearly ready to return to the captain's quarters, were it not for one remaining obstacle. The obstacle in question happened to be a surprisingly boisterous Kelly Chambers who, at the moment, was chatting Tali's helmet off.

"...you understand. I just never expected that we'd end up with so many species on board. No offense or anything, I mean, I knew that Shepard liked to work with you and Garrus on the old Normandy, but I figured the Illusive Man would've taken issue with his choices or something. Don't get me wrong, I love all races of aliens, and Cerberus isn't about putting others down..." Tali secretly rolled her eyes at that comment. The ceaseless babble continued to pour forth from the oblivious Yeoman and Tali found it increasingly difficult to remain in her facade of agreeable silence. She had stopped listening several minutes ago, but she couldn't quite bring herself to interrupt Kelly, who seemed surprisingly cheerful in the wake of her abduction at the hands of the Collectors. Sighing under her breath, Tali shifted weight to her other foot, feeling the fatigue from standing so long beginning to set in. She was biding her time, waiting for an excuse or chance to break free. Eventually, her moment came in the form of a small pause for breath from Kelly, momentarily interrupting her chatter.

"Okay!" Tali interjected, seizing the opportunity. "Umm... I should probably be going now, but... it's been nice talking with you, Kelly." Desperate for freedom, Tali began stepping her way around and past the Yeoman, making a break for the elevator. "Oh, okay then." Kelly said to the rapidly retreating Quarian. "I guess we can talk more later then!" Tali was already fast-walking around the corner to the elevator door, pretending to be out of earshot.

_Keelah, I thought I'd never make it!_

There was no need to call the elevator, which was still waiting idly with an open door. Tali quickly stepped in, still clutching her case of supplies, and imediately mashed a button to close the elevator door. She urgently opened the small metallic case with a click and pulled out a syringe. With the other free hand, she found a small valve-like opening on the arm of her suit; a built-in injection site built specifically for allowing medical injections without suit removal. Using her omnitool, she remotely opened the valve and placed the tip of the syringe into the tiny hole. She pushed on it and gave an invisible flinch as she felt the prick on the needle as it entered her arm. A moment later, she removed the needle and placed it back in it's spot in the case. The same procedure she repeated three more times with the other different syringes; a cocktail of injections that would hopefully keep her immune system up long enough for another couple of hours outside of her suit. It wasn't as foolproof as the preparations she'd made the last time, but it would be enough.  
As she replaced the last syringe, Tali gave an inward sigh before closing the case and pressing the button that would send the elevator up two floors to Shepard's room.

* * *

In the Captain's quarters, Shepard was contemplating what else he could do to preoccupy himself. He had already cleaned up, made the bed and replaced the pillows. He stood dumbly for a moment, scratching the minor growth of facial hair on his chin. Suddenly, he walked over to the bright blue fish tank across the room. However, any thoughts of feeding the fish were immediately quelled by the sight of several brightly colored forms floating at the top of the tank.

"Well, shit." Shepard said to himself. _Guess I'll need to get Kelly up here later on to clean the damn things out._

Several minutes later, Shepard heard his door swish open behind him, and in walked Tali. Well, in _rushed_Tali, that is. The Quarian got through the door, pulled off her mask, dropped the medical case onto the floor, and reached Shepard in little more than a couple of seconds. She met the commander with the full force of her momentum and shoved her lips to his. Shepard stumbled back, momentarily thrown off balance. Once he was sure he wouldn't fall over, he responded to Tali's kiss, mirroring her movements aggressively. The kiss intensified, both parties constantly moving their heads, lips and tongues, until they had moved close enough to the bed for Tali to suddenly push Shepard out with her arms and onto the cushioning surface of soft fabric. Shepard looked up at her from the bed with a smirk of pleasant surprise.

"Impatient, much?" he said with a grin. Tali reached up and removed the main portion of her helmet and let it drop to the floor beside her.

"Sorry." She replied sheepishly, running a gloved hand through her thick raven hair. "I ran into a little snag."

"Do tell." Shepard prompted.

"Kelly." She answered flatly. Shepard replied by mouthing a silent "oh."

The Commander sat up on the edge of the bed and reached out to place his hands on Tali's hips. "What now?" he said quietly.

"Well, I took care of the antibiotics problem."

"Then I think it's time we got you out of this suit... and have a look at that 'arm.'"

"I couldn't agree more." Tali's voice was dripping with longing. She fumbled with the section seals of her suit, quickly removing each piece of armor and letting them all drop where they may. In less than a minute she was pulling off the last section and letting Shepard get an eyeful from his lower vantage point on the bed. He gazed at her hungrily, making no effort to hide his affectionate admiration of her body. Tali let one arm dangle at her side while she placed the other on her hip, posing for her lover. After a moment or two, she reached for the buckle on Shepard's pants. "Okay, Commander. Your turn." She whispered as she undid it with ease. Shepard let the loose pants slide to his feet, along with his shorts which Tali quickly addressed. She took in the sight of his erect organ for several seconds before leaning down to reverse-straddle Shepard's waist. Her legs curled up on the edge of the bedding beneath. She felt the erection brushing against her backside and blushed as she lifted herself up slightly and came to rest on the head. Shepard gave a breathy gasp and Tali proceeded to push down, taking his full length into herself. She gave several shudders and wrapped her arms around Shepard's straight back, grasping it with her fingers after each little burst of pleasure. Both of their mouths were agape and their eyes tight with pleasure.

Tali breathed shakily into Shepard's ear. "You h-have no idea how m-much I've wanted to do this again." Shepard looked at her through glazed eyes and whispered his reply.

"I can just about guess." And with that, he silenced her with a deep but soft kiss. Tali raised herself slowly and went down again, eliciting more gasps from both of them through the kiss. She repeated the motion and set an intensely slow rhythm. When they broke the kiss to breath, Shepard nuzzled her neck, trailing kisses down to her chest, across her breasts and back up the other side. It was easy due to the small height difference caused by their current position. Tali's eyes fluttered under his attentions and her head lolled back as she let out a quiet moan. Shepard then gazed up at her creased face and let his hands travel across her backside, following a path around her spine until he reached her slowly bouncing rear. He used one hand to massage the small of her back and with the other he gently caressed her bottom, tracing the curves with infinite tenderness. Tali pulled him close to her, so that his face rested just above her bosom and her chin upon his head. As the euphoria intensified, they breathed heavier and heavier into each other. Tali felt Shepard's warm breath at the base of her neck and decided to increase the pace, but only slightly. She arched her back and continued to lift and lower herself. Shepard audibly gasped at the closeness of her warm body, the sensation of her moist midsection brushing with his. He let out a low, drawn out moan and Tali cooed gently in response.

The two continued for many lengthless minutes. By now, their breathing had become fervent and erratic, but their pace remained more or less the same. The room was filled with their silent panting and frequent gasps or moans. Shepard looked down at his lover's body, gently bouncing up and down onto his waist. The very sight of her was almost enough to send him over the edge and he felt his heart begin to flutter and race. Tali sensed his closeness and, in turn, felt herself begin to approach the end as well, marveling in their natural sense of synchronicity. She intensified her movements but refused to go any faster. Shepard's breathing picked up and Tali knew it was time. Instead of speeding up to lead into their close, she slowed down even more but kept the energy until she reached an intense, grinding pace, the friction of which was a perfect trigger for Shepard's orgasm. He felt his spasms begin to take him over and his mouth went wide as he erratically breathed in deep gasps. He had hardly started when Tali reached her peak and began to shudder even more violently than before. Shock waves of sensation rocked her core and raced through her from head to toe and when one receded, another, more powerful one took its place until she was reduced to what felt like a taut, quivering flesh, desperately clinging to the person before her. Her back fully arched and her split legs clamped tight around Shepard's waist. She subconsciously opened her mouth but nothing came out except a repetitive, shaking breath and her fingers were quite literally digging into Shepard's back, leaving what would become angry red marks. Shepard didn't seem to mind nor care as he continued to endure the shaking euphoria that had overtaken him already. He felt unable to exhale and his upper body stretched to accommodate the continuous inhale that he was oblivious to.

The moment seemed to last an eternity, then, finally, the euphoria began to recede and Shepard was able to let out the enormous breath he didn't even know he had been holding. Moments later, Tali began to recover from her own heavenly break. Her muscles slackened and her breathing slowed to a steady pace over the course of the next minute until she could only feel an intense tingling that remained as an aftermath to the shaking sensory overload. She slowly pulled her hands away from Shepard's back, eliciting a small breath of pain from the panting Commander. The two lovers then pulled away from each other just enough to look into each other's eyes. They gazed at each other for several minutes, breathing in unison, but this time, they had no words. The rapturous experience had left them both dumbstruck for the time being. Eventually, Tali leaned in and gave her Commander the softest of kisses before pulling him back into an embrace and resting her face aside his. Shepard did the same and they both sat there, breathing as one and basking in the feel of each other's forms, glistening in the low light of the room. Shepard felt as though he could sit there, with his true companion, for an eternity, until the last of all the suns had died out and the universe finally froze, slowly blinking out of existence, and he would be completely content to do so.

Above them, through the large viewing window in the ceiling of the cabin, the great speed of the Normandy was causing visible ripples in space; ripples that glowed with colored light, gently shifting from dull yellows and greens and resting on a deep blue, creating a bath of color that flowed into the room... An aurora for the two lovers below.

_FIN_

* * *

**Welp, this is it. This is the end of Aurora... at least for now. Ever since that near year-long break, I've felt a lack of inspiration toward this story. The bits in between the action, fluff, and smut were torturously dull to write, and I haven't been happy with it since. I've decided to indefinitely wrap up the story here so that I can pursue some other writings. HOWEVER, it is possible that I might pick it back up in the future.**

**Thank you very, very much to anyone who happened to stick with this to the end and I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. As always, feel free to rate and review and let me know what you think. Since I'm wrapping this up, also feel free to send me suggestions or even a request or two. **

**Thanks again, and this has been Aurora.**


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